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Rare Nanotyrannus Fossil Fetches Millions at Auction
5 Oct
Summary
- A rare Nanotyrannus skeleton, nicknamed Jodi, is up for auction in New York.
- The fossil is expected to sell for an estimated $6 million to $9 million.
- Recent sales show a growing elite interest in acquiring scientifically significant dinosaur skeletons.
Sotheby's is preparing to auction a rare Nanotyrannus dinosaur skeleton, nicknamed "Jodi," in New York at the end of October. This specimen, one of only three known to science, is estimated to fetch between $6 million and $9 million. The sale comes just three months after a Tyrannosaurus rex sold for a record $50.1 million, underscoring the strong demand among wealthy collectors for expensive fossils.
The Nanotyrannus skeleton was discovered in Montana in 2019. Its upcoming auction signifies the continued strength of a market that gained prominence with billionaire Ken Griffin's $44.6 million purchase of a Stegosaurus in 2024. Cassandra Hatton of Sotheby's anticipates significant global bidding, particularly for specimens that are both scientifically important and visually striking.
This event is part of a growing trend of elite interest in dinosaur skeletons over the past two decades. Notably, a 2007 bidding war involved celebrities for a dinosaur skull. The Nanotyrannus itself has been a subject of paleontological debate, with recent research confirming it as a distinct genus coexisting with the T. rex. "Jodi" is the first skeleton of this verified genus to be offered for sale.
